ABSTRACT
The presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewaters was demonstrated early into the COVID-19 pandemic. Data on the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in urban wastewater can be exploited for different aims, including: i) description of outbreaks trends, ii) early warning system for new COVID-19 outbreaks or for the spread of the virus in new territories, iii) study of SARS-Co V-2 genetic diversity and detection of its variants, and iv) estimating the prevalence of COVID-19 infections. Therefore, wastewater surveillance (known as Wastewater Based Epidemiology, WBE) can be a powerful tool to support the decision-making process on public health measures. Italy was among the first EU countries investigating the occurrence and concentration of SARS-Co V-2 RNA in urban wastewaters, virus detection being accomplished at an early phase of the epidemic, between February and May 2020 in north and central Italy. The present study reports on the methodological issues, related to sample data collection and management, encountered in establishing the systematic, wastewater-based SARS-CoV-2 surveillance, and describes the results of the first six months of surveillance. © 2022 IEEE.
ABSTRACT
This paper presents the Mechanical Ventilator Milano (MVM), a novel intensive therapy mechanical ventilator designed for rapid, large-scale, low-cost production for the COVID-19 pandemic. Free of moving mechanical parts and requiring only a source of compressed oxygen and medical air to operate, the MVM is designed to support the long-term invasive ventilation often required for COVID-19 patients and operates in pressure-regulated ventilation modes, which minimize the risk of furthering lung trauma. The MVM was extensively tested against ISO standards in the laboratory using a breathing simulator, with good agreement between input and measured breathing parameters and performing correctly in response to fault conditions and stability tests. The MVM has obtained Emergency Use Authorization by U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in healthcare settings during the COVID-19 pandemic and Health Canada Medical Device Authorization for Importation or Sale, under Interim Order for Use in Relation to COVID-19. Following these certifications, mass production is ongoing and distribution is under way in several countries. The MVM was designed, tested, prepared for certification, and mass produced in the space of a few months by a unique collaboration of respiratory healthcare professionals and experimental physicists, working with industrial partners, and is an excellent ventilator candidate for this pandemic anywhere in the world.